THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said Saturday, May 23, that the number of barangay officials facing criminal charges over alleged anomalies in the distribution of cash grants has increased to 42.
The complaints lodged before the different police offices have also gone up to more than 400 from 318 four days ago, according to DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya.
“Sa huling tala po ng ating mga kapulisan, umabot na sa hihigit 400 ang ating mga kababayan na pumunta sa kani-kanilang police stations at nagsampa ng reklamo laban sa kanilang mga kapitan o barangay officials na ‘di umano ay sangkot sa katiwalian,” Malaya said.
“Dahil nga po sa puspusang imbestigasyon ng criminal investigation and detection group, mayroon na po tayong 42 na mga barangay officials sa buong bansa na nahaharap ngayon sa kasong kriminal,” he said.
Malaya said 15 more cases are being prepared while 93 other officials are under investigation over various irregularities related to the implementation of the social amelioration program (SAP).
He said the DILG will no longer issue show-cause orders to the officials accused of irregularities.
Instead, DILG Secretary Eduardo Año has asked the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) to immediately conduct the investigation on barangay officials.
“So wala na po ‘yung dati nating sistema na mag sho-show cause order pa. Ngayon po, kapag issue na ng katiwalian ay sa pulis na po diretso,” he said.
“At kami po ay natutuwa sa reaksyon ng ating CIDG, dahil nakapagsampa na po sila ng mga kaso sa iba’t-ibang prosecutor’s office sa buong bansa,” he added.
Under SAP, almost 18 million indigent families nationwide were supposed to have received a cash grant of P5,000 to P8,000 as part of the government’s fiscal stimulus in response to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) epidemic in the country.
Five million more families will receive the second tranche soon. (SunStar Philippines)